Channel 4 issues statement defending Bonnie Blue documentary showing graphic scenes
Channel 4 has issued a statement ahead of its upcoming Bonnie Blue documentary which contains a number of graphic sex scenes.
The porn star, whose real name is Tia Billinger, has controversially claimed to have slept with over 1,000 men in 12 hours, many of which she said were 'barely legal' university students.
Originally from Nottingham, the 26-year-old said she was making hundreds of thousands of pounds a month on OnlyFans, before she was banned following plans of a 2,000-person 'petting zoo' event.
It involved her being tied up naked inside a glass box in a private house in London as part of a 24-hour live stream.
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"I’m gonna be hitting 2,000 bodies and I’m not gonna be the only girl there," she added.
After she was banned from OnlyFans, a spokesperson said: "Extreme ‘challenge content is not available on OnlyFans and is not permitted under our Acceptable Use Policy and Terms of Service.
"Any breach of our Terms of Service results in content or account deactivation."
Now, Channel 4 is set to release a new documentary about her, titled 1000 Men and Me: The Bonnie Blue Story.
"Was she dangerously pandering to male fantasies or being an empowered sex-positive entrepreneur?" the broadcaster said.
The film is set to 'sensitively' delve 'behind the headlines, clickbait and ragebait to discover what life’s really like in Bonnie’s wild orbit, how she got here and what’s really going on behind those steely blue eyes'.
However, the doc hasn't been without backlash over platforming the controversial adult star, as well as the number of graphic scenes it features.
Defending its decision to do a documentary about Bonnie, the broadcaster said in a statement to the Mirror: "Tia Billinger, via her stage name Bonnie Blue, has gained worldwide attention and millions of pounds in the last year. 1000 Men and Me: The Bonnie Blue Story is an observational documentary in which director Victoria Silver follows Tia over the course of six months.
"The film questions Tia’s methods and the divisive style of her social media and hears from colleagues and collaborators in order to understand her polarising business model."
Channel 4 added that it was necessary to show Bonnie having sex multiple times in the documentary.
"Careful consideration has been given to the content and the way in which it is included.
"The explicit content in the documentary is editorially justified and provides essential context; making pornographic content is Bonnie’s job, and this film is about her work and the response to it.
"Crucially, the content is presented in a non-gratuitous manner and viewers will be alerted of the sexual content in a programme warning at the start to ensure they understand from the outset the nature of the programme."
Commissioning Editor Tim Hancock said before a screening of the doc: “I believe it is Channel 4’s job to tell stories like this, trying to get behind the truth of the headlines. We film real stories in real time. We are very proud to do films like this.”
Meanwhile, director Victoria Silver said: “Bonnie Blue refuses to conform to public opinion and lives life by her own rules. At a time when factual TV is awash with retrospective stories.
"I wanted to capture the energy of a live and evolving story, with a woman at the heart of it who’s living her life in such a bold way.”
LADbible has reached out to Channel 4 for further comment.
1000 Men and Me: The Bonnie Blue Story is set to air on Channel 4 on Tuesday, 29 July at 10.00pm.
Topics: Adult Industry, Documentaries
Anish Vij